The plane was almost certainly on US military business. It left Leige on Oct 8th with a US military call sign (CMB162) but switched that before arriving in Shannon on Oct 9th, possibly to conceal the fact that it was carrying US military cargo.

Well the Minister (Shane Ross) gave a different answer when Clare Daly TD pointed out to him that there was a photo of the plane at Shannon. Here's what he said in response to her parliamentary question on the matter:

"It appears that, due to an administrative error, the aircraft with registration number N710CK was incorrectly recorded as N701CK.

No application for a munitions of war permit in accordance with the Air Navigation (Carriage of Munitions of War, Weapons and Dangerous Goods) Orders, 1973 and 1989 was made to my Department in respect of either aircraft N710CK or N701CK for the date in question."

So once again, when Shannonwatch has the evidence to refute denials and misinformation from a government minister in relation to the US military use of Shannon Airport, he backtracks and resorts to the excuse that an @administrative error@ was made.

N710CK and N701CK are both Boeing 747's operated by Kalitta Air. Getting the numbers mixed up might be a small oversight in other circumstances but when it comes to the operation of flights serving the US military who are engaged in wars all across the Middle East it is unacceptable.

Minister Ross, please start paying attention to what is going through Shannon. You are the Minister in charge of all military contracted planes that pass through.